The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-04-30

0HB1b Is IOTmeU the more C6Ithln anu bIe
more serious is the pernicious influence
upon them. 1t is impossible to estimate
Justly the extent of the harm done by this
practice as bearing upon this point; but
a somewhat careful study of the facts, to.
gether with the testimony of various
teechers, confirms me in the belief that ii
is the cause of no uncomfortable amount
OF the evil in question. The pernicious.
ness is SO generally acknowledged that ii
has been prohibited in the q. s. Naval
Academy, at Annapolis; in the q. S. Mil
itary Academy, at West Point; in the
Philips Exeter Academy, New Hamp.
shire, and in many other educational in
situations. And this is not the result OF
mere prejudice, nor is it the result OF
hobby-riding proclivities on the part OF
those in charge of these institutions;
for if any set of men are free from bias
and eccentricity in this direction, it is the
naval surgeon; and it was due, in par
ticular, to Dr. A. L.. ellison, Of the q. s.
Navy, that this attack upon tobacco was
begun. The charges against it, by these
eminent gentlemen, cover all the evils
named above and many more.
III. The support OF INDECENT parents
or other members of the family is to be
reckoned among the things which cause
no small number OF boys to drop out of
school, many doing SO before they reach
the high school. But this, of all the
causes is the most excusable and the least
likely to find any adequate remedy.
~. The infection of corporal punish
ment upon pupils (the boys catching
it," mostly, no doubt, causes the with
drawal of small number; but as cor
poral punishment (and we are glad the
facts warrant us in making the statement)
is not sufficiently prevalent to account
for but few cases, We mention it as among
the least consequential of the influences.
We are disposed to think, too, that out of
those who Withdraw on this account there
is no small number who manage" to get
whipped, in order to have some pretext
for leaving school = pretext that has
weight with some parents.
V. The foolish worship, by parents, and
by society at large, Of the self-made man,
and the sneers that are INDUCED in by
many, toward the college-bred man, is
another tree that bears much of the evil
fruit. The self-made man, who worships
his maker more than he worships his
God, is not he the man of consequence?
And why should boy struggle through
q long course of study, when these self
made pIodigies are constantly held up
for his admiration, and scholarship is
rated so low by parents, by public speak
ers, and sometimes by the press? They
forget that the average boy is not prod
ICY, and hence these bright examples, SO
often referred to as models to be initiated,
are no examples for him. Unless an ed
ucation is held up as standard of excel
lence but few will be induced to make
the effort necessary to secure it, more
especially when they must labor under
adverse circumstances to do so. This
we regard powerful factor in producing
the evil results named.
vi. Another cause, and one which
many will not readily admit, is the
undue proportion of female teachers.
We say naught against women as teach
ere. They hsve abundantly proven their
ability and their fitness; and they are, no
doubt, in some respects, and for some
branches Of the work, gifted far more
highly than men. But women are women
and men are men, unless violence be
done to the order of nature. And the
maxim, " Like teacher like pupils" must
ever be regarded as containing large
measure of truth. Humanity is made
up of men and women; and any proper
efforts to secure the best results must be
made by placing the youth under the
dual influence of both sexes. For, con-
slider, what is a boy who shonld be kept
altogether apart from the influence, and
from any true knowledge, of the gentler
sex until he has reached his majority?
Or what true conception of men and of
the world could that young woman have
who has always been isolated from the So
ciety of men, mingling only with her own
sex? EfemiDacy in men and masculinity
in women are distasteful to the average
individual, and are an inherited blemish
or the result of adverse influences, or
both. Influences having this tendency
should be avoided. Teachers have a
marked influence upon their pupils in
this respect, and boys are no exception to
the rule. More than this, boys "require
contact with mans ways, mans will
power, mans thought and action" as we'll
as the refining influence of women, or
they are not SO likely to feel the impor-
lance of their school work, and be held
there long enough TO complete the work
of the high school. Boys from fourteen
to twenty years of age are more suscepti-
BILE to masculine rule. What men say and
do has greater weight with them; and
here is where the average male teacher
has an advantage over the female teach
or, in fixing a steady purpose in the boy
to push his studies 10 the highest point
Of excellence within his grasp. Yet, all
things considered, as we said before, the
best results are reached where there is
no undue proportion of either male or